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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.